Very pleasant
Written: Jul 27 '07
| Ease of Ordering: |
 |
|
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
| Selection: |
|
|
| On-Time Delivery: |
|
|
|
| Full Review |
The name sticks in your mind. StrawberryNET had been highly recommended by a friend in New Zealand, but I'd not actually bought anything from them - until recently.
The thing is, it's a matter of demand and supply. At the time of the recommendation, I could easily get all the brands of skincare I use, so even with a discount and free shipping, it didn't seem productive to go through all that trouble of ordering online.
But now that I'm in Australia, things have changed. I wanted to continue using +H20~, and it's not commonly available where I am. Coincidentally, someone recommended StrawberryNET, and this time I bought :)
StrawberryNET is clearly a site geared for women. It does have a section for men's colognes on the home page, but perfume, skincare and cosmetics are still very much what women want. That rich purple background screams 'female' to me as well.
You'll probably find whatever you need at Strawberry.net if you use fairly well-known brands. Products from Anna Sui, Guerlain, and Nina Ricci are represented, for example. Once you've found the listing for the product you want, it's a straightforward matter of adding it to your shopping cart and checking out when you're done.
The store promised that I'd get my order in about a week, but I was discounting that. I was really surprised to get my order as promised, and by (free) registered mail, within the stipulated time. The package was clearly recognisable - it had purple ribbon around it :)
There are a number of things to like about StrawberryNET in addition to the prices:
They tell you how cheap they are
I also liked the variety they offered, particularly their Gift & Specials section. The products are usually discounted, but not always. StrawberryNET is very clear about whether the price is nett, or the amount of discount. This can range from a single digit percentage to as much as 55, 60, or 66 percent.
They keep in touch
I got an email about my order straight after I ordered, and then a status update later on, after it had shipped. I even got the package number for registered mail, so I could track the package if I wanted.
They help you browse
If you need to find out more about the product, just click on the product listing. Most online stores stop at the general product listing (e.g., Age Fitness Power 2 Active Smoothing Care ( Dry Skin ) 30ml/1oz). Clicking on the description or the thumbnail image however will get you to an enlarged picture plus more points about that product, which is great if you were looking for something new.
They think locally
As a global store, the company allows you to choose your country. It was pretty convenient to see everything billed in Australian dollars, once I chose 'Australia' as my country, for example.
There are additional discounts
As already mentioned, StrawberryNET does free shipping, though this is only for skincare, makeup and bodycare, and not for the perfume and fragrances offered (10 percent of sales to a maximum of A$10). There is a 5 percent additional discount if you order three or more products. Then there's a loyalty discount, beginning from the second order (extra 1 percent off) all the way to the 20th order (extra 10 percent off, and for all orders thereafter), so you can save even more.
Free gifts for first-timers
I got a Pierre Cardin lipstick free as well, and got my choice of several shades. I thought this was really value for money, considering the free shipping and I'd already obtained the 5 percent discount on account of ordering three products. At the moment it's a Stila lipstick (wonder what happens if it's a man ordering?), so I expect it's an on-going offer, but the gift depends on what's available.
There are things I don't quite like about StrawberryNET, but they're fairly small things that could probably be fixed easily.
I think navigating the website could have been more consistent. You can use their search engine, choose by category (Skincare, Make up, Perfume & Women's Fragrances, Perfume & Men's Fragrances), or go by your favourite brand. The problem is that there are more categories if you click on the "Product Search" button on the home page, such as Hair Care, Blush & Lipstick and Cleanser, and I'm more used to having the same categories wherever I am in an online store.
It was also somewhat disorienting to use the search engine (as I knew exactly what I wanted) to have it land on a page which doesn't look anything like where you wanted to go. What happens is that the 'anchor' for the search engine is at the beginning of a list of products, and you have to scroll down to find the product you were searching for. To StrawberryNET's credit that product is clearly highlighted.
Similarly, clicking on the product listing does bring you to more information as promised, but only if you scroll down to look. If you're not used to the interface you'll be clicking on the same product over and over because you didn't know you were already at the product page.
How does StrawberryNET make money? I figure it has economies of scale, and the discounts are over the US recommended retail price and not the actual street price. So it might be possible to get a particular product for cheaper if you go to your local store, but probably only if they've got a promotion on.
I found StrawberryNET a wonderful experience and would recommend it highly to anyone who needs skincare, makeup, fragrance and the like but doesn't like going to the store to get it. And if you like a bargain, the more you order, the less it costs. What's not to like?
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? +H20~ skincare
|
|
|
|
About the Author
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Reviews written: 76
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me: I love ads and reviews. They help me shop, and I love to shop.
|
View Information
